Dream world

[aiaf]

I was thinking the level "The Trials" is too minimalistic in style and unusual in gameplay to be the first level 

We should use cryo room as first level.The game should start with some really good graphics and not scare people too much.

 

So i propose beside the islands to have a dream world (story wise) where you enter from time to time.Lets say you communicate with the monolith etc.

First level to be "The Trials",  then we can do more levels there.

 

[mdgunn]

I'd been thinking the same that the minimalistic style as the first level might be jarring if it is lengthy and different to rest of game.

However, I also thought it was quite a neat idea of having some pre-wake up sequence where something is happening to trigger the character out of deep sleep.  I believe there's something similar in Prometheus?   

 So, at the minute I would not totally rule out a short dream/wake-up sequence but I think it would have to be quite interesting in it's environment visually but also short.  Could then be introduced in a more significant way later on as you say. 

I like you're thinking here.

Maybe there is scope for some simple puzzles and info gathering within rooms and corridors  on way to surface?  

 

[aiaf]

Heres an idea.

Lets say the monolith flies through space like a comet , nice graphics etc

Then an asteroid field show up and gameplay is to dodge asteroids for a small time.

Dream ends then comes the cryo room.Some things happen there and on way to surface we can have small dream world levels as you say with simple puzles.

 

We could have another level even when monolith is close to the islands gameplay to dodge several islands and player choose the island to crash on.

This is nice since your choice will affect the game, you will find a crash site on selected island.

 

Once monolith is crashed we can use "The Trials" dream level is already done.

 

 

[mdgunn]

Interesting ideas for sure.  Not sure our player would understand what they are doing.  Currently I am imagining the things are coming from space are not the monolith but these smaller these numerous activating spheres.  These are like little simple drones sent in large quantities.  They are like little seeds.  They are getting scattered across the planet.   If they land near a ship/island they can burn/bury down in the ground down to the ship and enter the ship.  These might be about 50-75 cm across and I had imagined inside there might be a sort of power core sphere and that the freeze/thaw weapon is taken or merges with our character near the start when she stops her own ship waking up, by blocking/destroying the incoming spheres in a second room (or room near the start).

At the minute I had imagined that this process had happened already (a sphere had entered) and this was maybe what had woken up our character as she had set this as an alert event before she went to sleep.

Could be that the island starts submerged and no sphere yet and we start a bit further back but although showing all these earlier things might be cool it's probably a lot of work and best at this point to work forwards with some easier game mechanics until we have a few things tied together.    If need be there could be static images and text that tell this earlier story. We have to watch how big this thing gets. 

Could STILL be that the monolith also came from space, perhaps it is like an AI/computer inside also sent in response to the awakening spheres and that this has been sent to trigger the characters awakening.   I think narratively it might be confusing that in the early stage you seem to actually BE this monolith - the player will automatically associate controlling a thing with being the thing I believe. And then you're not the thing and you're this other person.  

I think it might be best to avoid a lot of the story telling, but avoid things that might be confusing (e.g. switching characters).   

I'm not saying ditch all the story so far. It's still important for us to discuss these things as backstory. I think it's useful, but I think we should be careful about actual show and telling to the player. 

 

[aiaf]

Well i recognize could be confusing for player, but I was not switching characters, you are not the monolith you helped it navigate, not by choice.And remember this as a dream.

Anyway this does not matter i was just trying to come up with short mini gameplay that is easy to do and backstory.

This doesn't help me on the quest to advance this project.At the moment don't know what to do.

The way we are going now and design document, the story is important you cannot avoid it.

But that can change, we could ditch dream world idea to simplify things.

And have just combat mechanic and simple puzzles no stories.

Let's clarify this, so we all go in same direction.

[mdgunn]

OK. Not meaning to disrespect your idea. They are not bad ideas and as you say may have been relatively easy to do.   

It's not that I want to ditch the story but I think it may be best if some of it is backstory we know about but we try to mostly let things unfold through action. The story is still a good way for us to have a common idea about what is going (the back story) even if we leave it a little less clear to the user where it may be enough that it is clear they need to do a thing because they need to not die, rather than because its exact position in a larger picture.  Maybe. I'm no narrative expert.

Currently I guess in my mind I am trying to also see a way to get to a 'milestone' point as I think you are.  A position where we have a demo of sorts.

I think I don't know for sure if this will work out but I think I would do would be like this:-

- Refine your dream section a bit. Maybe re-using some ship models for wall, floor etc.

- I finish cryo room modelling. Add in some simple interactions like your dream room, such as a) turn of alarm, reset systems, get info on initial task (stop incoming drones waking rest of ship).

- Secondary ('solider' cryo room ) - can re-use bits of first.  Small enemy skirmish, disable wake-up machinery, gain hand-weapon.

- Simple key quest to open outer door.  Move through a few simple rooms and corridors.  Enemies can pop in with simple spawn mechanics.  Hand-weapon thaw-freeze might be used to activate or freeze mechanics or hazards.

- Exit ship to island and navigate island natural environment and deal with incoming enemy threats around a few key locations (e.g. exit, village etc.).

- Get to some key ship location at other end of island (e.g. escape fighter bay).  

- There can then be a reversal of sorts of entering ship navigating corridors and then entering key room (control room/fighter bay - maybe we go to both).

- I think at this point we then end after a last fight enemy fight in fighter bay or in escape fighter protecting our bigger ship or something).

I am not cross-referencing doc when putting this together so it might not quite fit what I said there but in general I think maybe the outline above could work.

This is still quite a lot of work.  If you have any interesting mechanics then they could be brought into one of the items above or replace it.

Not trying to dictate the exact path here so if you have suggestions please let me know. 

If you want you could propose an alternate way of getting to a natural end point and we can merge things together.

 

[aiaf]

Sounds good to me.

In few days ill have more free time to focus on this.